The Importance of Cleaning Your Wall-mounted Air Conditioner in the Fall

November 13th, 2019

Wall-mounted air conditioners, also known as ductless air conditioners, split-minis (if they also provide heat), or room air conditioners are a popular choice when a home doesn’t have an HVAC system and you don’t want a window AC unit. Wall-mounted air conditioners are an economical, energy-efficient way to add air conditioning to older homes with no ducts and are a great choice for basements, man caves, garages, and any space you want to add air-conditioning to without the expense of a full HVAC system.

It’s important to clean your wall-mounted air conditioner every autumn to extend the life of the unit and make sure it’s ready to run cost and energy efficiently next spring/summer. Cleaning your ductless air conditioner will help keep your costs down because it will keep running efficiently and last longer between maintenance visits and eventual replacement.

Wall-mounted air conditioners are connected directly to the compressor unit outside, and annual fall maintenance of your ductless air conditioner entails a quick cleaning and check-up for the parts inside and out. Regular cleaning is the best way you can prevent issues that come from neglect, like unpleasant smells or odors, growing mold, and internal pieces getting worn down, and for that, we start with the filter.

Filters

Improved air quality is a major benefit of wall-mounted air conditioners due to their highly efficient filtration systems. It’s essential then, to keep the filter inside the ductless unit clean. Fall is an important time to clean your air conditioner filter so that the accumulated dust and dirt don’t sit for the winter on the unused filter, making it harder to clean in the spring when you turn the unit on again.

Cleaning the filter of your ductless air-conditioner will also keep it running as efficiently as possible, and this, after all, is one of the main reasons that people choose wall-mounts over HVAC systems: they have no energy loss and are therefore more energy efficient and cost less to operate. A dirty filter, however, will make your wall-mounted air conditioner work harder than it needs to, and negatively affect its efficiency and your energy bill.

By cleaning your filter in the fall, your wall-mounted air conditioner will need only a light clean-up in the spring after sitting idle during the winter, and will be ready to run at maximum efficiency, minimum cost.

Coil and Condenser

Before winter comes, take time to check and clean the outside component of your wall-mounted air conditioner. Dirt and debris collect on the outdoor portion of wall-mounted air conditioners and if neglected could cause the unit to fail. Before you put your garden hose away for the winter, clean the exterior coil and condenser of your ductless air conditioner so that it’s ready to go in the spring and will help your ductless system run at it’s best to keep your indoor air clean and cool.

And one final tip, when doing your fall maintenance and cleaning for your wall-mounted air conditioner, choose a wise place to store your remote control over the winter.

Remember to tend to your wall-mounted air conditioner each fall. You’ll thank yourself when you’re sitting clean and cool in the spring while your neighbors are troubleshooting their neglected units (and looking for their remote!)